Although all parties have finalized their candidates, the Nepali Congress has not been able to select a candidate for Bajhang.
What you should know
All parties except the Nepali Congress have finalized their candidates for the elections to be held on February 21 in Bajhang. In Bajhang, which has only one constituency for the House of Representatives, the UML, CPN (Maoist), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and CPN (Maoist) have already selected their candidates.
The CPN-UML has fielded central member Ain Mahar as its candidate. In the 2079 BS election, he was defeated by the candidate of the CPN-Unified Socialist, Bhanubhakta Joshi. The UML secretariat meeting held on Saturday announced another central member, Afilal Okheda, as its candidate, but the UML has announced that Ain Mahar will be fielded in his place on Sunday.
The Prachanda-led Nepali Communist Party has fielded Min Bahadur Kunwar as its candidate. Kunwar was the Bajhang district president of the party when the UML and the Maoists merged to form the CPN. Similarly, the National Swatantra Party has fielded Shailesh Kumar Singh as its candidate for the House of Representatives. Singh, who has become a popular figure in the far west as a successful businessman, is a native of Talkot rural municipality. He has opened a college in Dhangadhi and is working in the field of employment-oriented vocational and technical education.
Similarly, the Biplav-led CPN-Maoist has nominated Bharat Malla as a candidate. Malla, who has been involved in the Maoist movement since the People's War, has been working full-time in the Biplav-led party for a long time.
Although all other parties have decided on candidates, the Nepali Congress has not been able to select a candidate for Bajhang. Joint General Secretary Prakash Rasaili, former ministers of state Naresh Bahadur Singh, Suresh Malla are aspiring for the candidate in the Congress. Similarly, leaders including Satyaraj Bhandari, Abhishek Bahadur Singh are also seen as aspiring for the candidate.
Due to the division seen in the party, there is a delay in the selection of candidates and it may be decided by Monday afternoon, said leader Satyaraj Bhandari. 'Talks are taking place at various stages. It may be decided by Monday afternoon who will get the ticket,' he said.
